Archive for the ‘Phoenix Coyotes’ Category

Sunday evening, the Preds were in town and left a little deflated. They had been on a 4 game winning streak, only to be beaten 4-1 by the Stars.

The Preds were definitely no match for the Stars that night. Our first goal was our second short-handed goal of the season from Brian Sutherby after Mike Modano took a 4 minute double minor for hi-sticking (and causing injury to) Sullivan. Mark Parrish, Brad Richards and Steve Ott scored the other 3 goals that night. Jason Arnott got the lone goal for Nashville.

Then Wednesday, Gretzky and his Coyotes were in town. The last meeting between these two teams, both goalies got a shut out but Phoenix came out as the winner. It was the same score Wednesday, with the Stars coming up on the 0 column and it ending in regulation this time. It was a hard fought game between both sides. The Stars were getting plenty of chances, but just weren’t able to get anything past Ilya Bryzgalov who was obviously sick of losing. The team had been 0-6 since the All-Star break and were playing like a team ready for a win. Enver Lisin ended up with the lone goal of the night.

Now, onto something a little more amusing, this is one reason I love our beat writers; dedicating an entire post to whether or not Tipp should grow his stache back. Being that I’m a superstitious hockey fan, I vote no considering how well we did in the playoffs last year.

Last season, I did a post showing where everyone was after exactly half a season of play, 41 games. I did it again this year. I actually spent about 2 hours getting it all in order last week but kept forgetting to post it. We’re not a few games past the mid-season point, but whatevs. Here is what the standings looked like.

It was all Stars on the scoresheet Tuesday night when the Coyotes were in town. With a final of 2-1 in overtime, Loui Eriksson gets his 13th and 14th goal of the season and ex-Star Todd Fedoruk gets his 4th of the season for the Coyotes.

The Stars started off well in the first period, looking much better than the awful loss Saturday in Nashville. It didn’t take long to get the Stars up 1-0. With a nice feed from behind the net, Chris Conner got the puck to Loui Eriksson whose patience paid off to get the Stars on the board. Brad Ricahrds also go the assist. The rest of the game ended up being a battle between goalies, and both seemed up to the task. Both Ilya Bryzgalov and Marty Turco made fantastic saves. It wasn’t until the third period that Fedoruk finally got the puck past Turco with a wrist shot. It took almost the entire overtime before the Stars would emerge victorious. With 1:20 left in OT, Loui Eriksson got his second of the night with a shot off his backhand from Mike Ribeiro.

It was 2 points the Stars definitely needed and those 2 points got the Stars out of the basement in the western conference. They’re one step up, just 6 steps to go before they are back in a playoff spot.

This was a game the Stars should’ve had, but their special teams still aren’t getting the job done. Despite ample power play time and even a 5-on-3, the Stars fell 5-3 to the Phoenix Coyotes.

It started off good, with Trevor Daley getting the Stars up 1-0 four minutes into the first period. But within the next 5 and a half minutes, they’d be down 2-1, with one of the goals coming off a Phoenix power play. James Neal managed to get the Stars back in the game by the end of the first, by getting what would be the Stars only power play goal in the game.

The Stars took the lead again a little over 8 minutes into the second thanks to Fabian Brunnstrom’s goal. But Olli Jokinen got his second power play goal of the night to tie the game up again. Then in the third period, bad turnovers and bad positioning got the Stars in a 4-3 hole they couldn’t get themselves out of. The Coyotes put their cherry on top by scoring an empty netter with 24 seconds left.

Chris Conner and Toby Petersen had good games, the only bright spots of the night really. Midget had the first multi-point night of his career with 2 assists. Robidas showed, yet again, he is a warrior after taking a puck to the mouth then returning after receiving a few stitches.

I was quite sad. For one, that we lost, and for another that Brenden did not take a penalty due to where my seats are. 3 of my other favorite players did, where is the love Brenden?

Turco got the start, duh, since Holmqvist started the night before. Phoenix got the scoring started when Carcillo (grr) got one past Turco early. Daley countered though about 16 minutes later. Boucher got a short handed goal past Bryzgalov in the 2nd. Unfortunately that goal was bookended by another goal from Carcillo and Hanzal. The Stars had some great opportunities in the 3rd, but couldn’t get it done. Phoenix managed to get an empty netter after Turco was pulled, so the final was 4-2 Phoenix.

Well, almost. With the 4-2 win last night over the Phoenix Coyotes, the Stars will be taking on the Ducks in the first round of the playoffs. This will be a GOOD round, the Stars owned the Ducks during the regular season but the Ducks definitely won’t go quietly.

Now, about the game last night. The Stars played fantastic, they looked like the old Stars again even without Sergei Zubov (who I believe is coming home today from Germany), Mike Ribeiro and Mike Richards. Johan Holmqvist also got his 2nd start of the season. Luckily, he got the defense support needed to be successful, and boy was he. He played fantastic. Goals were scored by Matt Niskanen, Stéphane Robidas (EEEE), Brenden Morrow and Mike Modano.

Morrownator got first star of the game with an assist and an unassisted goal and Johan Holmqvist got the second star, which he totally deserved.

Tonight’s match up will be good! I will be in attendence, sitting in row E right behind the Stars penalty box. WOO

I am going to make this short, not because I’m lazy but because I spent the last night in a hotel due to ice in the area and am just tired.

All I can say about it, is like the previous game, the other team played with a determination the Stars were unable to match. Peter Mueller scored in the first and Shane Doan in the second. Brad Winchester cut the Coyotes lead in half with a little over 2 minutes left in the second, and I’m sure everyone knows how extremely excited I was about this. And I do mean EXTREMELY excited. Stars were unable to get another one past the awesome Bryzgalov.

We got Matt Niskanen back, and boy did he turn over the puck a lot. Please let him get out of this.

The three Stars of the night were

Ilya Bryzgalov

Shane Doan

Brad Winchester

And what is even worse, is on his first shift Boucher took a bad hit on the boards and is now out another 3 weeks with a shoulder seperation.

So I guess it’s safe to call this a home-home series, since we played in the AAC Monday against Phoenix and in Arizona last night.

I will start with game 1: GOOD JOB GUYS!! Old Star Kapanen got the scoring started in the first period. But the Stars, as they have done many times previous, rallied for a comback and ended up winning the game 2-1 putting them on a 7 game win streak! Dallas goals were scored by Steve Ott and Mike Modano. It was a fun game to watch. Phoenix has been playing pretty well lately (much in part to the amazing Bryzgalov) so they really had to step up against this team.

Now, for the game last night. Here is an idea Stars: LET’S NOT PLAY ON MY BIRTHDAY!! You have played on my birthday 3 times since 2003 and have lost every one of them. Let’s notice a pattern here. Also why did you feel the need to tell me about the turmoil Brenden Morrow went through after Vrbata skated over his wrist? (Yes Vrbata, I am coming for you now that I know it was you.) That is not cool guys, not cool at all.

As far as the game goes, the guys just didn’t look totally together and Phoenix capitalized on it; beating the Stars 5-2. It started out the same as it had Monday, with Phoenix getting the first goal then the Stars countering (thanks Jussi for the sweet steal.) But the Coyotes scored a 2nd late in the first period, another in the second and started the third period off with a short handed goal. It was too much for the Stars to catch up to, but they sure did try.

The only good thing about the game last night? I got to see Brad Winchester play on my birthday :D